CantoneseClass101.com Blog

The Chinese Lantern Festivals that take place in Hong Kong each year are quite a sight, and offer an exhilarating experience! Traditionally based on many Chinese legends and stories, this holiday is a time to be with loved ones, admire beautiful Chinese lanterns, and maybe even find or reunite with your true love. In this article, you’ll learn all about the Hong Kong Spring Lantern Festival, from its traditional meaning to modern-day celebrations. Are you ready? Let’s get started! 1. What is the Chinese Lantern Festival in Hong Kong? In Chinese culture, the Lantern Festival, or 元宵節 (jyun4 siu1 zit3), is considered a time of passion and romance. This holiday also goes by the name of "Chinese Valentine's Day." This is... Show more

Conjunctive adverbs are a crucial part of every language. They allow us to connect our thoughts, make comparisons, and string together sentences. There are various Cantonese conjunctions you can choose from to formulate your ideas. Trust us when we say that learning Cantonese conjunctions is one of the best things you’ll ever do for your language-learning! Without further ado, let’s go through Cantonese conjunctions in detail below! Table of Contents Cantonese Conjunction Overview Conjunctions to Correlate Similar Thoughts (And) Conjunctions to Express Condition (If) Conjunctions to Express Causality (So) Conjunctions to Express Opposition (But) Conjunctions to Express Purpose (So that) Conjunctions to Express... Show more

Some say manners and etiquette are outdated and no longer matter in this day and age—why bother to care about how others think or feel? Why don’t we just "be our true self" and "show our personality?" However, decent manners and etiquette are never out of style. They’re the cornerstone of civilization. Without them, a society will become disorganized; its members will demonstrate disrespect for one another and ultimately lead to chaos, insults, falsehoods, and many more unpleasant consequences. That’s why we’ve set out to help you learn Cantonese customs and etiquette in Hong Kong for your time here. Table of Contents Why Manners and Etiquette Matter to You Concepts Related to Manners in Hong Kong Dining Etiquette in Hong Kong ... Show more

Although English is widely spoken in Hong Kong, learning how to describe dates in Cantonese would be of great benefit to you. Mastering Cantonese dates will not only help you communicate better with the locals, it will also ensure that you won’t miss out on any important meetings or fun events in town. In this article, we’ll go over how to say dates in Cantonese, how it differs from how to write dates in Cantonese, and even give you some background information on the Chinese calendar. Can’t wait to learn about Cantonese dates? Let CantoneseClass101.com give you a hand! Table of Contents Traditional Chinese Calendar and Modern Calendar Cantonese Years Cantonese Months Cantonese Days Cantonese Date Format The Week in... Show more

Although English is widely spoken in Hong Kong, learning how to describe your family in Cantonese will be of great benefit to you. Not only will it help you understand the local culture better, but it can also facilitate communication with the locals and show respect, especially considering that family is a strong institution here. Want to learn more about Hong Kong families in general and familiarize yourself with basic Cantonese family expressions? Keep reading and let CantoneseClass101.com give you a hand! In this article, we’ll go over essential information including family titles in Cantonese, family Cantonese words, how to say family in Cantonese, and family relations in Cantonese. By the time you’re done with this article,... Show more

During the Winter Solstice Festival, Hong Kong prepares to celebrate the coming New Year with family and loved ones. In this article, you’ll learn about how Hongkongers celebrate the Chinese Winter Solstice, and why! At CantoneseClass101.com, we hope to make every aspect of your language-learning journey both fun and informative—starting with this article. Let’s delve into this rich and cozy aspect of Hong Kong culture together! 1. What is the Winter Solstice? In Chinese tradition, there’s a saying that says Winter Solstice is more important than the Lunar New Year. That is because ancient China was an agricultural community, and cultivation had to be done according to the season. Why do the Chinese celebrate the... Show more

Even though English is widely spoken in Hong Kong, learning Cantonese travel phrases can still be of great benefit to you. Not only will it help you navigate through the world’s greatest city better, but it can also serve as a conversation starter with the locals and help you understand the culture better. That’s why we’ve put together this guide about Cantonese travel phrases for those who speak English. Can’t wait to put some Cantonese travel phrases in your pocket? Read below and let CantoneseClass101.com give you a hand with our Hong Kong travel words list! Here, you’ll find Cantonese travel phrases and words translated to English to help you navigate the country. Table of Contents Basic Expressions Transportation Shopping ... Show more

Numbers are essential in our daily lives—whether we use them to express time, negotiate prices, record dates, or count. Learning Cantonese numbers will definitely help you navigate Canto-speaking cities better, and that’s what our Cantonese lessons about numbers hope to achieve. So let CantoneseClass101 guide you through the world of Cantonese numbers. Below are different categories of Cantonese numbers and relevant phrases, including the basic Cantonese numbers 1-10. Are you ready to learn Cantonese numbers and practice these Cantonese numbers in English? Table of Contents Cantonese Numbers 0-9 Cantonese Numbers 10-100 Cantonese Numbers up to 1000 How to Give Your Phone Number Shopping: How to Use Numbers when Shopping ... Show more

You're learning to speak Cantonese, and it's going well. Your confidence is growing! So much so that you feel ready to share your experiences on social media—in Cantonese. At Learn Cantonese, we make this easy for you to get it right the first time. Post like a boss with these phrases and guidelines, and get to practice your Cantonese in the process. 1. Talking about Your Restaurant Visit in Cantonese Eating out is fun, and often an experience you'd like to share. Take a pic, and start a conversation on social media in Cantonese. Your friend will be amazed by your language skills...and perhaps your taste in restaurants! David eats at a restaurant with his friends, posts an image of their food, and leaves this comment: POST Let's... Show more

How to say sorry is one of the first things that a traveler or a language learner should learn—knowing how to say sorry helps us better communicate and maintain relationships with new friends, especially in Hong Kong where we are famous for our politeness. That said, it’s quite important to learn how to say sorry in Cantonese culture. There are various ways to say sorry in English, such as “I am sorry,” My apologies,” and many more. It’s the same for Cantonese; we have different phrases to express our apologies for formal, informal, and specific occasions. Let’s go through some of the most widely-used phrases for apology in Cantonese below together! Start with a bonus, and download your FREE cheat sheet - How to Improve Your Cantonese... Show more